Valve for steam-engines.



N0. 17%),226. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

O. E. LOWE.

VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IV VE IV 70/? ()wrles ELane ATTORNEYS No. 779,226. PATENTED JAN. 3,1905.

G. E. LOWE.

VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ll Vg/ WITNEgSES:

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

VALVE FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,226, dated January3, 1905.

Application filed September 20, 1904. Serial No. 225,207.

1'0 M whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, CHARLES EDWARD LowE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Eufaula, Creek Nation, Indian Territory, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Valves for Steam-Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in valves for steam-engines, itsobject being to provide a valve which will work with less friction thanthe ordinary slide-valve by doing away with stufling-boxes andpacking-glands for the valve-rod.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction,arrangement, and operation of parts, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an engine embodyingmy improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the interior of thesteam-chest, showing the valve-seat. Fig. 3 is a detached perspectiveview of the slide-valve turned to show the rear side thereof. Fig. 4 isa vertical section taken through the center of the steam-chest. Fig. 5is a vertical section taken on lineccw of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a similarsection taken on line g of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a transverse centralvertical section of the steam-chest, and Fig. 8is a detail section ofthe guide and clamping screws.

As shown in Fig. l, 1 represents cylinder of an engine, and 2 thesteam-chest. Said chest is located at one side of the cylinder and isdivided into an upper and lower chamber by the partition 3. Thesteam-chest has aremovable cover 4: and a removable side door 5. Thepartition 3 has an elongated longitudinal slot 6 in its center and ateach end has the inlet-ports 7 7 and exhaust-ports 8 8. The upper edgeof slot is surrounded by a flange 9, the purpose of said flange being toprevent any water that might collect in the upper chamber of thesteam-chest from dripping into the lower chamber. '10 10 represent thelive-steam ports leading from the steamchest to the cylinder, and 11 11indicate the exhaust-ports leading from the steam-chest to theoutlet-pipe 12, which leads to the open air. The upper face of thepartition 3, which forms the valve-seat, is provided with a facing-strip13, provided with the necessary openings to register with the ports insaid partition. A vertical strip 14 is secured to the rear wall of theupper chamber, against which the valve will bear.

15 represents the slide-valve, comprising a central portion and twodome-like parts 16 at each end, within which domes are the exhaust-cups17. Depending from the central part of the valve is the stem 18, securedthereto by being screwed to it or made rigid with the valve in any othersuitable manner. The lower face of the valve has secured to it thebearing strip or plate 19, provided with suitable openings for theexhaust-cups and for the passage of the stem 18. The rear face of thevalve is provided at each end with the lugs 20 20, which bear againstthe strips 011 the rear wall of the upper chamber of the steam-chest.The guide-strip 21 fits under a ledge 22, projecting from the front wallof the upper chamber of the valve-chest, and bears against the frontface of the slidevalve. Said ledge has near each end a depression and athreaded opening through the ledge within each depression. A set-screw23 is fitted to each opening in each depression and bears against theupper face of the guidestrip 21 to hold it firmly in position whenadjusted laterally, which may be done by passing a thin strip throughthe slot 2%, extending through the ledge 22, assho wn in Figs. 2 and 7.

To the lower end of the stem 18 is secured by a suitable pivotal bearingthe end of the valve-rod 25, which extends from the valvestem to theeccentric in line with the ordinary piston-rod. The upper part of thevalve-rod at the end where it is connected to the valve stem or shank 18is provided withalong narrow cup 26, which receives the oil from thelubricator and lubricates the bearing through an opening. The oil isreceived from the lubricator 27 on the top of the steam-chest throughthe small tube 28, which extends downwardly and is suitably bent to passin between the door 5, which is provided with a groove 5 to receive saidtube 28 and permit the door to make a tight closure. Said door is madeheavier at the bottom, as indicatec in Figs. 6 and 7, to keep it inplace and is provided with the flange extensions, the lower one fittingwithin the lugs 10, which aid in re taining the door in position. Thedoor is provided with a suitable handle to remove and replace the same.

Extending from the lower chamber of the steam-chest is an outlet-pipe 29to carry off any water that may escape over the flanges of the slot 6.

Steam is admitted to the upper chamber of the steam-chest through pipe30 and passing through port 7 enters the cylinder at the right hand anddrives the piston toward the left hand of the cylinder, theexhaust-steam passing through the port 7 at the left-hand end-t0 theexhaust-cup 17 at that end and thence through exhaust-port 8 to the openair. The valve which moves one-fourth ahead of the piston then moves tothe right in covering port 7, when live steam will be admitted toleft-hand end of the cylinder and drive the piston to the right. Thesealternate movements are kept up as long as the engine is running.

It will be noted that all of the bearing-faces are steam-tight and thatI dispense with a valve-rod secured to one end of the rod and passingthrough packing or stufling boxes in the end of'the valve-chest. Thevalve will be held to its seat by live steam against the flangesurrounding the slot 6. The parts can be readily gotten at for repair orremoval. It will also be noted that the exhaust takes place at each endof the valve and at each end of the steam-chest instead of at thecenter, as is usually the practice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a cylinder and a steam-chest divided into twochambers by a slotted partition forming a valve-seat having steam andexhaust ports at its ends, of a slidevalve located in one chamber andprovided at each end with exhaust-cups, a valve-stem extending throughsaid slotted valve-seat, and means for connecting said valve-stein withthe eccentric of an engine.

2. The combination with a cylinder and a steam-chest, said chest dividedinto two chambers by a slotted partition forming the valveseat, saidvalve-seat having inlet and exhaust ports at each end, of a slide-valveseated on said valve-seat and having at each end exhaustcups, andprovided at its center with a valvestem extending through the slottedvalve-seat, a guide-strip located at one side of the valvechamber andadapted to bear against one face of the slide-valve, means for adjustingsaid guide-strip and securing it in its adjusted position, and means foroperatively connecting the valve-stem with the eccentric of an engine.

3. The combination with a cylinder and a steam-chest, said chest dividedinto two chambers by a centrally-slotted partition forming a valve-seat,said valve-seat having an inlet and an exhaust port'at each end,facing-strips secured to the working face of the valve-seat and a flangesurrounding the slot in the center of the valve-seat, of a slide-valveprovided with facing-strips on its working face and having an exhaustcup or dome at each end, a valve-stem extending from the center of thevalve through the slotted valve-seat, and an eccentric-rod pivotallyconnected with said valve-stem.

4. The combination with a cylinder and steam-chest divided into twocompartments by a partition provided with an elongated central slot,said partition forming the valve-seat and having an inlet and exhaustport at each end, of a slide-valve having an exhaust cup or dome at eachend and a valve-stem projecting therefrom through the slot in thepartition, an eccentric-rod pivotally connected at one end with saidvalve-stem, and means for lubricating such pivotal connection.

5. The combination with a cylinder and steam-chest divided into twochambers by a centrally-slotted partition forming a valveseat, saidValve-seat having an inlet and an exhaust port at each end and passagesleading from said ports to the cylinder and open air respectively, of aslide-valve fitted to slide on said valve-seat, it having at each end anexhaust cup or dome, a stem projecting from said valve through thecentrally-slotted par.- tition, and an eccentric-rod pivotally connectedto said valve-stem.

CHARLES EDWVARD LOVE.

WVitnesses:

G. S. KEMBLE, T. F. TURNER.

